Different
by MoonCloud101
Summary: This is a coming out story for Danny Fenton, a transgender boy. Coming out is difficult for everyone; how will Danny's family and friends react? How will this impact him? What does the road hold for him later on? (may continue into a multi-chapter fic)


_Gosh, it's been forever since I posted a fanfic. I really love trans!Danny, and there weren't enough fics so i figured i'd just write some haaaaa._

 _I was trying to make this as realistic as I could. I based some of it off of my own experiences and that of my friends, but i never really had a 'coming out' to my family, so i hope it's okay._

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Danielle Fenton had first realized she was 'different' when she was 11. At first, she had thought it was just her 'tomboy' nature, but she figured out it ran much deeper than that. Her parents and sister loved to dress her up, tie her hair in bows instead of it's usual ponytail, add blush to her round cheeks, and she absolutely despised it. Whenever she was over at her friend Sam's house, the two would hide the clothes they'd bought at the mall (with Sam's parents' credit card) and try them on. It was a regular activity for them, since they both hated how their families dressed them up. Sam didn't really mind the fact the clothes her parents bought were feminine, she just hated that they were so bright, flowery, and pink. It didn't fit her personality at all. Danielle simply loathed the feminine clothes altogether. When Danielle had first pulled a boy's t-shirt over her head and slid on the jeans, she'd wanted to cry. It felt right, comfortable.

It wasn't until she heard the word 'transgender' that she really began to figure it out.

That day, she had been playing video games with her friends, talking to other gamers online. Many words were thrown around that day-gay, transgender, queer, to name a few-so she had decided to do some research on the terms she didn't know. That was the day she'd learned there was a word for people like her, people who didn't fit with the gender of their birth.

Danielle stayed up late that night, thoughts swirling around her head, trying to figure out who she was, what her identity was. In the morning, there were no doubts. Danielle Fenton was actually a boy.

With the realization came the fear; what happens next? Would people accept someone like Danny? Would his family? Would his friends? Danny trusted his friends, and so realized the next step would be to tell them. He invited Sam and Tucker over to his room later that morning, his nerves eating away at his stomach, worried about the truth shattering conversation that was about to take place. Maybe he shouldn't tell them, keep things the way they were. Danny thought about it for a brief moment, but decided that him being uncomfortable whenever his friends said his name, without them even realizing it, was much worse. Besides, if they truly cared for and loved him, they would accept him. They had known each other practically all their lives; the trio was almost inseparable by the time third grade rolled around. They would understand.

And so he told them. The conversation started off awkward and slightly embarrassing. Danny had nearly cried through some of it, but it went well over-all. Tucker seemed shocked, but Sam, in her activist and individuality supporting way, was completely accepting, immediately switching pronouns for Danny. He wondered if maybe she had other friends who were like him; the whole thing almost seemed too easy for was at a loss for words, but did make an effort to change Danny's pronouns. Danny did cry at this point, the relief he felt overwhelming him. His two friends moved to sandwich him in a hug, promising to help him and that they would stick around no matter what happened. They were his best friends, and it would stay that way.

It was one of the best, most emotionally exhausting days of Danny's life.

But it was only the beginning. The real challenge would be facing Danny's family, telling them their daughter was actually their son. Danny couldn't face them for a long time, no matter how much Sam and Tucker encouraged him to. The possibility of rejection, the fear of what his parents would think kept him from coming forward. He'd had secrets before, but none as big as this.

For the moment, he was fine with keeping things the same. However, as time wore on, his two friends could see the effect his silence was taking. At home, he was constantly reminded of his feminine body, was always misgendered, and called the wrong name. At least his parents usually called him by the nickname Dani, but he knew it was not in the way he wanted. His parents hadn't questioned him when he started to wear masculine clothes, figuring it was a part of his 'tomboy' personality. It wasn't the oddest thing someone in their family had done. Danny's wardrobe usually consisted of a plain t-shirt, jeans, and a beanie pulled over his ponytail. He desperately wanted to cut his hair, but was afraid his mother would be devastated; she always commented on how beautiful and long his hair was.

Eventually, Danny couldn't take it anymore.

One evening, when Danny was fresh out of the shower, he glanced at his reflection. He tended to avoid it, not wanting the negative feelings of bone-crushing reality to plague his mind, but today his heart was heavy and full of self-loathing. Once he stopped in the mirror, he couldn't pull away, no matter how much his reflection made him uncomfortable. His black hair draped around his face and fell to his shoulders in small waves. He frowned, getting a closer look at different angles at the body he was forced to inhabit. The body he didn't want. His heart beat faster and tears filled his eyes as he realized he may never be comfortable with who he was, that he would never have a boy's body. He usually accepted that fact, but had always hoped he'd be able to undergo hormone replacement therapy in order to obtain more masculine traits, allowing him to be more comfortable in his body. But with how things were now, the idea seemed hopeless. He was stuck and his family would never accept him.

He quickly pulled his clothes on, trying to hide his discomfort and walked out of the bathroom to the kitchen. His mom was there.

"Danielle, sweetheart, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing her child's tear-blotched face, concern immediately appearing on her face.

Hearing his birth name made Danny's gut twist and he quickly turned on his heel, muttering "I'm going to Sam's house." before running out the front door and into the evening air.

It didn't take long to get to his friend's house, especially when he was running. He didn't even knock on the door, praying Sam's parents either wouldn't be home or were in some other room. He entered the house and ran up the stairs, down the hallway to the door with posters covering it, pausing for a moment to knock before bursting in the room. Sam jumped when her door opened, a scowl and what was sure to be a complaint for her parents on her lips, until she saw it was Danny in her room, not her mother.

The look on her friend's face immediately set her in a panic, wondering just what happened. She didn't get a chance to ask, as Danny simply covered his face with his hands and began to sob. Sam was by his side in a heartbeat, rubbing his back wordlessly. She lead him to her bed, and let him cry in peace, holding one of her giant spider plushies.

When the sobs turned to gentle hiccups, Sam wound her arm around Danny's shoulders and hugged him.

"Sam, will you cut my hair?" Danny asked softly without looking towards his friend. Sam was slightly surprised at the request, but nodded her head. She'd never really cut hair before, but how hard could it be?

That was how the two ended in Sam's bathroom; Danny on a stool with a towel draped around him, and Sam with a pair of scissors in her hands. She grabbed Danny's ponytail and slowly began to snip it at the base, until it fell away completely. She then tried to even out the cut, brushing the hair with her fingers before handing Danny a hand-held mirror.

Danny looked carefully at his reflection for the second time that night. His black hair was short and messy, definitely not a professional cut, but he loved it. He glanced up at Sam, tears threatening to spill once more, and whispered, "Thank you."

Sam simply hugged him.

The euphoria of finally cutting his hair started to wear off when Danny realized he would have to go home eventually. How would he explain this? Voicing his worry to Sam, she placed a hand on his shoulder and told him to be truthful, to tell his parents. She offered to come with him as support, but Danny shook his head. He knew he had to do this, that he had hid from his family long enough. He also knew that it should be a private thing between him and them.

The walk home had been awful, worry and fear plaguing his mind. It was just like the day he told his friends, only ten times worse.

He opened the door and entered the living room, where he found his parents and sister watching a movie. All three looked up at his arrival, shock and surprise on their faces when they noticed his appearance.

"Dani, what happened?" his mom asked, eyes wide.

"What'd you do to your hair?" Jazz gasped at the same time their dad said, "Where'd your hair go?"

"I...uh...need to talk to you guys." Danny said, sitting down on the loveseat next to the couch, facing all of them.

First, he explained the term "transgender" to them. Jasmine knew the term already, but their parents only had the vaguest idea what it meant.

"Dani, what are you saying?" Jazz asked, starting to fit the pieces together.

So Danny told them flat out. His heart pounded in his chest, but he continued, telling them about the first moment he realized it, to the cutting of his hair just hours before.

"Are...are you sure about this?" his mom asked, a range of emotions playing out on her face: sorrow, concern, confusion. At least disgust or anger was not one of them, as Danny feared they may be.

"It's been over a year." he said softly.

"Danielle," his dad began before Jazz and Maddie shot frowns at him, "er, Danny, you're our child and we love you no matter what, but this will take some getting used to."

"And maybe a bit more research." Maddie added on. "Your father and I are pretty clueless when it comes to subjects other than ghost-hunting. "

Jazz rolled her eyes. "No kidding." She looked to Danny, a small smile appearing. "It looks like you and I will need to teach them."

Danny felt like his heart was going to stop. This was better than he could've ever dreamed. He willed himself not to cry again.

"We'll figure this all out together." his mom said, standing up to sit by Danny, wrapping her child into a hug. "It'll be tough, but we'll get through this." she murmured, almost to herself.

The family talked for a while longer before disbanding, heading to separate rooms to get some sleep. Jazz followed Danny up into his room.

"Why did you keep this a secret for so long?" she asked when they were alone.

"I dunno, i was just… afraid." Danny answered, hunching his shoulders.

"Well, you don't have to worry anymore." Jazz said, hugging him. "I also want to apologize before hand if I slip up with your name or pronouns. It may take me a while."

"that's fine." Danny let out a light chuckle. "I mean, I've been your 'sister' all your life. I almost expect you to slip up every now and again. I'm just so glad you're trying."

Jazz smiled at him before ruffling his newly cut hair and stepping out into the hallway, heading towards her own room.

Danny immediately called up his friends and told them the good news; his family accepted him, or was trying to anyway. They congratulated and offered to treat him to a shake at the Nasty Burger in the morning.

As he began to fall asleep, Danny thought about the future and what it would hold. He would officially start his transition. High school was just around the corner as well. But Danny knew that whatever life threw at him, he would make it, with the help of his family and friends.

Besides, what's the worst that could happen?


End file.
